


Fox Verse: Duty, Love and Mates (aka Responsibilities, Patience and Healing)

by natashawitch



Series: Fox Verse [4]
Category: Actor RPF, CW Network RPF, Merlin (TV) RPF, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alpha Jared, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Bathroom Sex, Blow Jobs, Breastfeeding, Collars, Domestic Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Intimate touching, Knotting, M/M, Mpreg, Muteness, Omega Jensen, Omega Verse, References to Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-09
Updated: 2013-04-16
Packaged: 2017-12-07 19:39:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/752285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natashawitch/pseuds/natashawitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four Timestamps to Fox Verse</p><p>One: September - Jensen's concern for Misha, Bradley and Sebastian</p><p>Two: October - Oscar tells his own story</p><p>Three: November - Alexander takes Colin on a date (without Bradley)</p><p>Four: January - Icestorm - Oscar</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. September: Jensen

**Author's Note:**

> Not real not mine (except for O, he is mine and I am keeping him safe)
> 
> None of these people are in relationships with each other, and none are were-foxes or werewolves.
> 
> Not Beta'ed this time. Any mistakes are my own.
> 
> All comments are welcome.

September  
Three months since Vincent's Memorial

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Low clouds made the late September day sultry and humid. A day for the omega den or catching whatever breeze was coming off the lake, dangling feet in cold water.

Jensen’s feet were wet, soaked like the bottoms of his muddied plain canvas trousers, the ends of his sleeves and his sweat drenched hair. He had a wicker basket full of foraged pennywort weeds gathered high upstream from a languid stretch of water above a logjam. He wondered if the logjam was a long abandoned beaver dam. 

The strong herbal smell from the overflowing basket was tickling his nose. 

How could Misha stomach this? His omega friend was a firm believer in the plant’s wound healing properties. Buckets of Pennywort Tea, hours sitting in his small garden in the sun, and a demand that Matt make him laugh at least once a day; this was Misha’s self-devised recovery plan. 

Last week on the day Jensen had visited, Misha returned his last tub of antibiotics to Matt’s dispensary but admitted he was resigned to taking the prescribed heat suppressants. The sups were the only chemicals he was letting pass his lips. Jensen had shaken his head in mild amusement, as he drank his own cup of herbal tea in Misha’s kitchen. Luckily Misha had gifted him with a cup of more pleasant and palatable chamomile tea. To impart calm patience for dealing with grouchy healing mates. Jensen had tried to defend Jared, but Misha had stopped him with a held up hand, and divulged that he was giving Matt chamomile tea too.

Somehow Jensen had got roped into climbing hills and wading in muddy streams for fresh pennywort to replaced Misha’s dried tealeaves with the real thing. 

He heaved a sigh which turned into a chuff of self-reflective scoffing at Jared’s predictable horrified response when Jensen had teasingly promised to keep back some of the weeds to make Jared his own cups of the foul tea.

It took an extra measure of effort these days to manifest his mate’s dimpled smile. 

Jensen understood that Jared felt in some way reduced, less alpha, by his impaired sight. His alpha had bit his tongue, changed the subject, when Jensen tried to draw him out about it. Burying emotions deep was a detrimental talent of Jared. 

In many ways, life was better now. Jared spent more time in the den and with his kits. He took Devon and Alan to collect wild honey. He taught their older kits, Daisy and Elise to swim in human form. He told Hunter and Hillary stories when they went for their nap in the basket. He was warm and gentle when he wrapped himself around Jensen and held him around the waist when they walked through the pack.

On the other hand, Jared was frustrated that he was unable to effectively patrol and cursed under his breath when he adjusted the patrol rota. He used the time when Alexander was away at council meetings to tell Jensen he was glad to be at home, while his mood soured and the wick of his patience was short.

Jared had been unapproachable when he returned from Columbia where he had his final follow up examination at the end of August. An ultrasound, stinging drops for a retinal exam and various tests performed on the short tempered alpha had confirmed that his surgery had been a success and that the glasses were permanent. After twenty four hours of walking on egg shells, Jensen was rescued from tiptoeing around his mate, when Alan stole Jared’s prescription sunglasses and was found playing “Big Bad Alpha” stalking around his sisters in the hollow behind Samantha’s den. Jared had laughed long before retrieving his shades and cuffing his son’s unruly hair in fake punishment.

Hints of having more kits were dropped. 

Jensen ignored them.

Crossing the stream at the stepping stones, Jensen picked up one of the extra communal water collection dishes from under the bush and scooped up a shallow bowl. Back in the omega den Jensen was careful not to disturb Bradley-fox who was curled up asleep, tail poking out of the blankets. He extracted his weeds and arranged them in the dish so that they could take up the water. Tony and Pasha were going to Lakeside in the morning and would deliver the proto-tea to the clinic.

There was a half consumed bottle of Bradley’s ginger ale on the table. The poor fox was laid low with his morning sickness. His diet consisted of irregular snacks; saltine crackers, cups of broth, lemon jellies, and gallons of ginger ale. Alexander was pulling his hair out with worry that Bradley wasn’t getting enough nutrients. Colin had made it his personal mission to find new foods that were palatable. Last night Colin’s mashed potato and butter had been a win. 

Job done, his own quest fulfilled, Jensen pulled the old armchair away from the worktable and sat down for a breather. He tried to relax and not worry about Bradley, Misha, anything or anyone. It worked for zero point two seconds. Jennifer had fought with Cissy that morning and he hoped they had made it up better than the earlier Dada enforced apologies. Felix had petitioned Jared again for permission to go on a mating quest. Jared had refused again saying he was too young, not yet eighteen, but this time he offered to find out which packs were accepting suitors.

Sebastian popped his head into the chamber.

Jensen smiled and opened his mouth to say hello. There were tear tracks on the older omega’s cheeks and he was cradling his right wrist with his left hand.

Jensen sprang up from the seat. “Gods, Sebastian, what happened to you?”

“Amber said she saw you come up here. Would you mind? Could you have a look at my arm?” Sebastian asked timidly.

“But what happened?” Jensen repeated as he moved forward and gently eased the limb out from his body. Sebastian left his other hand underneath, taking the weight off. Jensen traced his gaze beyond the old puckered burn scars, across the new finger imprints and up to the tips of the fingers which were hanging limp. 

“I deserved it.”

“What?” Jensen exclaimed in disbelief, “This was intentional?” He looked down at Sebastian’s small bump, astonished that someone would do any harm to a pregnant omega.

“I was disobedient, mon ami.” Sebastian hung his head in shame.

Bradley had woken and shifted at the spoken words. He didn’t even pause to wrap a blanket around his still slim waist, as he came to sling an arm around Sebastian’s shoulders. “Did Christopher do this?”

“Bradley, Jensen,” Sebastian sighed, “You don’t understand, your alphas, they don’t...”

Jensen didn’t pause to hear anymore. He was livid. He raced from the den, using the fox mind to send apologies to Sebastian and instruction to the pack second-mate to tend to the injury.

Jared was in the home den reading a letter from Ian, when Jensen dashed into their nest and snatched the papers from his hands.

“Jared!” Jensen barked.

“You have my attention.” Jared said with careful diction, aware of his mate’s boiling anger.

Jensen said nothing for a moment visibly trying to control his righteous fury.

“Ian and Candice have returned from London.” Jared looked more closely at his mate. “Have you been wading in a mud-pool Jen?” Jared offered to break the continuing silence.

Jensen was trembling with temper.

Jared reached a hand out, offering consolation, a lap to sit on, or perhaps a hug.

Steeling his resolve to be composed, “Jared-mate, you have to do something about Christopher.” Jensen spat out.

Jared crossed his arms, “I think I know where this is going. You don’t like the way he enforces Sebastian’s status in his family.”

Jensen ground his teeth. “He could have broken Seb’s arm. His pregnant mate! Jared, it can’t be tolerated. We have to do something.”

“Firstly, is Sebastian’s arm broken?” Jared narrowed his eyes, and Jensen knew he was in Pack Alpha mode, rather than Jen’s mate mode.

“Well. I don’t know. Bradley is taking care of him. He might need to go to the clinic for an X-ray.” 

“Can you go back to the omega den and assess that for me? If he needs medical care I’ll get Stephen to drive and I will take him myself. Next, what incident prompted the discipline?”

“I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter. Even if Sebastian slapped Christopher, his alpha shouldn’t have injured him.” Jensen protested.

“Look Jen darling, it is a mating matter. I can’t and I won’t interfere unless you tell me that Christopher is beating Sebastian without reason or beyond reason.” 

Jared’s lips were set in a firm line. His posture repelled argument. 

Jensen blew air through his nose in defeat. He didn’t dignify Jared’s stance with a reply, turning on his heel and heading back up the slope to Sebastian.

He found Bradley strapping Sebastian’s wrist as the older omega sat in the chair Jensen had vacated.

“A sprain,” Bradley gave his verdict.

“Are you sure? Jared will take us to the clinic for x-rays.”

“No.” Sebastian jolted in the seat, “I don’t want to go to Lakeside.”

Jensen raised his eyebrows at Sebastian’s refusal. “Dear friend, what if you have a fracture?”

“No, Jensen. I broke my other wrist when I was a kit. It is not broken. Bradley is doing a beau job. It will be better in no time. I will rest it. Oh gods, Daisy is going to freak.” Sebastian squeezed his eyes tight, as if trying to block out reality.

Jensen crouched down next to the chair.

“You think you could do the sling, Jen?” Bradley asked, “I’m a little light-headed. I’m going to take the other chair and sip some ginger ale.”

“I’m going to rename this den the omega ward,” Jensen exchanged grins with Bradley, “When did you eat last? Colin will have your guts for garters if you skipped lunch.”

“Colin brought me soup earlier. Oh, I wish I was through this...” Bradley made a puking gesture with his fingers.

“Misha had it right up until his last trimester with Valerie.” Jensen reminded.

“Thank you so very much, Not-Pregnant-Fox.” Bradley sniped back in friendly sarcasm, as Jensen started to make the sling by folding a square of cotton into a triangle.

“Sebastian, can I ask you some personal questions?” Jensen asked all trace of fun gone.

“As my friend or my Pack Vixen?” Sebastian queried unable to meet Jensen’s gaze.

“Can it be as both?”

Sebastian nodded.

“Does this happen often? On a regular basis?” Jensen gestured at the strapped wrist.

Sebastian shook his head and sighed, “Je ne sais pas. C’est difficile. Not every day, ma Renarde, not even every week, but Christopher will dispense discipline if I fail to obey... He told me, this morning before he left on patrol. He specifically told me not to disturb Rosie in the nest. Poor Rosie, she is laid up with her beta cycle pains.” He rubbed at his bandaged arm.

“Is it painful? Do you want me to check the first aid store in the new cabin for some painkillers?” Jensen offered.

“No. It is bearable. I should feel it. I should be reminded.” Sebastian’s voice hitched.

“No. Sebastian. Stop that.” Jensen laid a hand on the other fox’s shoulder, “Don’t beat on yourself. Where did you get that idea? Did Christopher tell you that?”

Sebastian shook his head again, “I’m good, and it is not too painful. If it gets worse I promise to say. Ma propre petite fille Daisy wanted her Princess Zorra book. She didn’t want it for herself. She wanted to read it to Baz and Hunter. I woke Rosie getting it from the nest. Christopher walked in...”

“He punished you. They punished you, for that?” Bradley gasped from where he had retreated back to the blankets.

“I knew I wasn’t to go in there.”

“I really don’t think it is that simple.” Jensen sighed and scrubbed a hand over his jaw, “Did you tell him why you where there?”

“No. No way. It is not Daisy’s fault. I will not have him angry with her. Vous ne comprenez pas. Ca ne fait rein... I respect Christopher. He is a good fox. A good father. He loves his kits. Rosie is my friend. I have great affection for my mates.” Sebastian’s voice grew stronger but distressed as he spoke.

“But not desire or love?” Jensen asked gently, wondering if he was pushing too much.

“No, Jen. I don’t have any objection to Christopher mating with me. He is considerate of my needs and makes it comfortable for me. He doesn’t linger when his knot goes down. If I am not in the mood, he respects me. He is handsome but no, I don’t desire him. I will never love anyone after my true mate... mon Coeur mort...” Sebastian bit his bottom lip, “I apologise Jensen but I did adore Mark.” 

Sebastian’s bottom lip began to tremble, and Jensen stopped himself from asking Sebastian not to talk about Mark.

“I can’t.... It is implicitly forbidden to speak his name in the pack... Daisy is asking me about her real Dada. I can see him in her...” Sebastian was quick to add “... not in a monstrous way. In the way she walks. The way she tosses her head sometimes. Her black fox form. It is bittersweet.” 

It was difficult to hear about Mark without Jensen wanting to dig up his bones so that he could kill him again, but one look at Sebastian’s sad expression meant that he pushed his loathing aside and straightened up to wrap his arms around the other omega. They stayed in the moment, Jensen offering comfort. Then Bradley was wrapping his arms around both of them from the other side of the chair, offering his support.

“I have no solution,” Jensen whispered apologetically.

“I know. There is none. Only to live. I draw joy from my kits and the rest of the little hooligans. I can only do my best for my mates, have them be happy with me, if I can. Hope for a better life for my babies, including the new three.” Sebastian dropped his right hand to cup his belly.

Jensen left soon after, drained to the point of exhaustion.

Jared took one look at him and pulled him in for a full body hug. Jensen let himself relax. He turned his head into Jared’s chest and rested his hand to feel his mate’s heartbeat. Jared didn’t rush him but finally eased him down into their nest. He removed Jensen’s shoes and soiled clothes, wrapping him in their blankets. 

“The gang are still up in James and Allyson’s den. Ashley is playing teacher again.” Jared lay down on his side so he was facing Jensen. He stroked Jensen’s hair and then kissed his temple. “Are we going to the clinic?”

Jensen screwed up his face in frustration, “Sebastian doesn’t want to, he says he knows his wrist is not broken.”

“We can go tomorrow with Tony if it seems necessary. How is Bradley?”

“Tired. They are staying in the omega den for a while.” Jensen sighed.

“But you’ll stay here with me for a while?” Jared rubbed his large hand over Jensen’s bare chest, pressing down in circular motions. He asked with affection, “You want anything Jen?”

Dismissing asking for a happier life for Sebastian, he replied, “What are you offering?”

“Hmmm, my secret stash of oat pecan cookies, if they won’t ruin your appetite for the evening meal.”

“We will get crumbs in the blankets, Jare!”

“Sweet crumbs, that we won’t feel through our fur later.” Jared laughed and moved over to scoop a box from the bottom shelf.

He halved a large round cookie and shared it with his mate. Jensen quirked a grin that Jared hadn’t broken it into smaller pieces and hand fed it to him, knowing instinctively that just now he preferred to nibble at it from his own hand.

“It was intense.” Jensen’s chest deflated at the recent events.

“I know.” Jared agreed, “I can guess. It is difficult to hear such things. You are a good pack vixen and a good friend. They know they can come to you, my dear vixen, and you will do your best to help them. I am so proud of you. I don’t say it enough Jen, but I am.” Jared moved closer to his mate so that their arms were pressed against each other.

“I still wish you could ask Christopher to ease up on him. No-one is perfect. We all make mistakes.”

Jared interrupted, “Please don’t Jensen-mate. We have already talked of this. If things worsen tell me and I will re-consider.”

Jensen was unhappy with the verdict. He resolved to keep Sebastian talking to him about his family and his alpha.

Gentle kisses landed on Jensen’s forehead, distracting him from his anxieties. Jared nuzzled against his chest. He murmured softly, possessive words; mine, my Jen, only mine. 

“Only yours,” Jensen whispered in agreement.

Jared removed his glasses and set them carefully away from their nest. He turned back to cuddle tightly, rubbing the mating mark with the heel of his hand. Feather-like touches glanced on Jensen’s freckles with the tip of Jared's finger.

“I want our next kits to have your freckles,” he muttered into Jensen’s ear.

Too tired to argue, Jensen let Jared have his fantasy.

Jensen drifted towards sleep, half listening to a Jared monologue on naming future kits after Jensen’s mother and how The Anubis named one of his pups Isis, which he thought was a nice name for a girl-fox.

Finally Jared stopped babbling and they shifted together. Burrowing into the blankets their fox forms found each other. Bodies wrapped together they shared their scents, body heat and love, coming together in a shared dream of basking on sun-warmed lake side rocks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies to any Francophones for errors...
> 
> Je ne sais pas. C’est difficile. Ma Renarde. = I don’t know. It is difficult. My Vixen.  
> Mon Coeur Mort = my dead heart  
> Vous ne comprenez pas = You don’t understand  
> Ca ne fait rien = It doesn’t matter  
> Ma proper petite fille = my own little daughter  
> 


	2. October: Oscar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> O tells the story of his life.  
>  **This is all O's POV.**  
>  Everything that has happened to him is filtered through his eyes. Told in his rarely heard voice.  
> It is doubtful that others would agree with him in his perception of the world, self-image or his view of his alpha.  
> Other omegas might even be shocked if they knew what O's life has really been like and what actually goes on behind the silent facade....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI:  
> Three Mountains Pack Hierarchy
> 
> Pack Alpha Wolf: Kenneth Branagh and his She-Wolf Oscar  
> Second: James Patrick Stuart and his beta Catherine (OFC)(their daughter Molly is O's child)  
> Third: Aldis Hodge and his beta Beth Reisgraf  
> Fourth: Silas Weir Mitchell (unmated)  
> Fifth: Alpha Eve (OFC) and her beta Corin Nemec
> 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OCTOBER: THREE MOUNTAINS

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I love life.

I wake in the morning, yearning to smell the scents of the forest and breathe deeply. 

I leave whichever nest I have spent the night sleeping in and walk on my padded feet to the mountain ledge above the tree line. Once at my preferred spot I howl my contentment and daily re-affirm my status as she-wolf of the pack. 

I walk back to the main cave of the den and shift.

Some of the younger betas will have drawn me a bath. 

The beta-mates will bring me breakfast. I rise early and am normally first to eat. Beth, my pack’s third mate, will make sure I get the fresh bread while it is warm or in winter the oatmeal before it has become stodgy.

My alpha will come and greet me with a morning kiss and I will close my eyes so I can scent him more clearly. If he wants me to come to the office with him he will let me know. I will go to his den and put on one of the bespoke suits he likes me to wear, a silk shirt that feels soft on my skin and replace the thumbnail size tags for the public wear dimpled ones.

If I am not accompanying Kenneth I will go to the Omega Space, or my tree house as I call it. I might read and try to improve my English or write a little, maybe a letter or some jottings of what has been happening. I don’t keep a diary but I like to record special times and events; my memory jewels. 

Sometimes I am interrupted and a pack mate will call me down. Sometimes it is to help them as She-wolf, sometimes they want to use my body to relieve their aching knot or their stress. Sometimes if I am busy, I refuse. It isn’t a problem. Since I have been with pups, I have only serviced my wolf family with my mouth and my hands.

Next month I will be 25 years old. If I was unmated in this country I would be considered mature. I hope to mark this special birthday with my three pups in my arms, but the consultant obgyn at the private clinic in Portland says they won’t arrive until a week after my birthday. If Kenneth had granted me permission to speak I would have argued with her, but I know my own body and that night in my alpha’s nest I whispered in his ear to be prepared for the pups to come earlier.

This morning I am fussing. Moving my things from one side of the tree house to the other, rearranging things that do not need to be moved. This is my own space at the centre of my pack-home and in a few days other omegas will sit here with me for the first time. 

Excitement is bubbling up, at least I hope it is excitement and not indigestion from hauling myself up the ladder sideways, weighed down by my rounded belly. If Kenneth knew I had come up here, he would have words with me, but I have slept in his nest every night for the last weeks and my tree house is sorely neglected. 

Now I am pushed down into my pile of crocheted heritage blankets, having attempted a twirl with my feather duster to remove the nasty spider webs and instead stumbled over my hidden feet and landed here. I need new cushions. I can see the wobbly leg on my low Korean style table. A wobbly table will not do. Three Mountains is the richest pack in the country, save for One Blood and that is due to the royal tributes. The omega space cannot have worn cushions and wonky tables. 

I will ask Kenneth to send Beta-Corin up here and take the blankets for specialist cleaning. He can take the woodland scene tapestries too, if they can have them back in time. I will get him to research that before I decide.

I have another obgyn appointment tomorrow. Kenneth has promised to shop for nursery supplies with me. Last night as he licked the pressure point under my earlobe, he told me he wants the extra room in his den to be decorated for our pups and for me. I am excited at the idea of a continuous stay in the pack alpha den. We will go to Nordstrom and get baby clothes and a pup basket for the den. For the tree house I will buy cushions and a coffee table. For myself I will get a nursing chair. Jensen said it was the best thing he got when he had his first litter.

I think I have done enough tidying for today. I should finish my letter to Jensen. He is the only one outside the pack who knows I am pregnant. I haven’t attended any events since poor Vincent’s memorial, and I am sure Kenneth has kept it to himself, he is private like that. 

Jensen wrote in his last letter that only Colin is coming with Alexander, that Bradley is beset by acute morning sickness. It is the East/West Fox council annual meeting at The Green Forest which borders our packlands and they cannot accommodate all the delegates because of the storm damage. Kenneth offered an olive branch to that stubborn fox, Seth Green, and offered our den for Alexander Star, Ian Fell and Jonathon Accola. Fabrice Accola and Colin Star are going to be the first guests here in my space. A little part of me wishes it was The Daniel Wolf and Jensen Padalecki, but I am happy to be able to show my home to others. If the visit goes well, perhaps Kenneth will take the King up on his hints of hosting one of the Wolf Alpha meetings or a Wild Were Council conference and others will come. 

I know they way they look at me.

They have sympathy in their eyes.

Sometimes they have anger or outrage. I did not feel safe with Trent, Christian and Milo, always thinking they wanted to abduct me for my own safety.

It is worse with the wolf omegas, they use the wolf mind to offer me comfort. They try to tend to my supposed sadness. Their preconceived notions of my life fill the wolf mind, like scenes from omega brothel porn they have read or seen. It saddens me, and they pick up on the sadness, and that makes them even more sure that I need to be taken care of or coddled in their presence. I stay quiet in the wolf mind at events and gatherings. I am touched by their chaste affectionate hugs and touches, but they don’t look beyond the tags.

The only ones, who have tried to know me, not let the blue tag blind them are Daniel, Jensen and Bradley. 

Some have whispered knowledge in my ear. 

Stellan Star told me to always keep hold of my centre and give to no one but my alpha. 

Elder-wolf Peter Gillies told me that his own brother wore a green tag but would hurt himself when his alpha made him service others. 

Others have told me things about themselves that they would tell no one else. I know secrets that they all forget I can tell Kenneth. The blue tag only prevents me speaking to others, and when Kenneth wants me to remain silent.

Some secrets I tell. Others I keep. 

I told Kenneth that as Jacob Star came down my throat he told me that when he is head of the fox council he will disband all omega rights groups. 

I told Kenneth that while Boris Olsson held me in his arms at a wolf packs meeting he told me that Ty has plans to usurp my alpha and become the king’s only go to alpha. 

I didn’t tell Kenneth that Jeremy from Four Valleys is afraid that his teenage alpha son will challenge him for the pack, or that Alexander Star’s bond with Colin is dysfunctional, or that when Tom Welling and Michael first settled at Five Rivers they were shunned by the elders for their urban ways, or that Trent Ford tried to steal my tags.

Some of them think that Kenneth bought me at an auction.

That is a corruption of the truth.

My mother screamed and cried when the Omega dealer came to our tower block and bought me from my father. My father backhanded her. She stumbled against the little lacquered table dislodging her grandmother’s vase and it shattered into pieces. I can still see her, on her knees, picking up the shards of the heirloom, with tears sliding down her pinked cheeks. She had not yet gathered all the pieces when the dealer’s enforcers made me put on the green kimono of a whore. I had turned fifteen, too old to continue servicing my brothers, uncles and father. The kimono was the first item of clothing I had worn in four years and three months. 

I stepped out of the collection van with three other boys, expecting one of the illegal brothels, hidden in plain sight in downtown Seoul. A blind eye turned by decent folk, who didn’t sell their children, but prided themselves on Korea’s advances in Omega equality.

We were at the docks. Rain whipped against the four of us, iced daggers driven in on a Siberian wind. New alphas dressed in drab brown clothes with shut down faces chained us together and herded into a container aboard a ship. Finally after other deliveries of omegas there were twenty of us, all young, all quiet and numbed. There were racoon dogs, jindos, dholes, a fox and me. As best as I can reckon we were at sea for a month. We were fed and watered like the livestock in other containers. No one died. We huddled together for warmth and comfort. I was never cold, my larger wolf-form swarmed by all, even the regal snow white jindos.

All sense of time was lost. Finally a team of the brown clothed alphas came and commanded us to shift out of our animal forms. A little dhole near me was kicked hard for his clumsy shift, but before I could go to him we were manacled and chained. They threw the kimonos we had arrived in at us in a pile and ordered us to don them. A measly weed of an alpha, with a cigarette glued to his lower lip, stroked my thigh and promised to find me in my new whorehouse. I fought back bile. Jung, the older teen-jindo, caught my hand in support.

When they lifted the container onto the docks we were thrown back to the far end, bumping and clashing into each other. Han to my left spilt his lip. The stench of twenty unwashed boys was so thick that I could barely scent his blood. 

There was a grating noise as the doors were opened but instead of a brothel madam or an omega auctioneer, there were American policemen swarming into the space, shouting in English. I was confused and tried to hide behind Jung as we all dropped to our knees in front of the uniformed alphas and betas. 

Then there was a middle aged alpha with red hair in a smart western style navy suit pushing through the cops and scenting the air. I tried to scent what he smelled, but the air was still rank with sweat and human waste. When he got close, my nose filled with wolf, burning timber and subtle spices. He caught my shoulders and pulled off the filthy kimono. He ripped the material as it came away from my body. While I tried to cover my genitals with my hand he gestured to a policeman for the keys to my shackles. When they were produced he unlinked me and removed the auction house collar and chain. 

My hand was grasped tight and the deep ginger haired alpha pulled me from the container, growling at a cop who tried to stop him and roaring in English at a medical woman. He put me in the back of an SUV. I watched through the window as my companions were taken away in ambulances and backs of police cars, while the alpha who had singled me out directed the unloading of another container. A flat bed truck pulled up through the cop cars and the alpha agitatedly directed men as they strapped down a large piece of machinery from Kim Lee Seo manufacturers. When he was satisfied he spoke to another tall black alpha in a grey suit and returned to the SUV. He came in the back with me and a sandy haired beta wolf in casual clothes slid in the driver’s seat. 

Turning towards me, the alpha-wolf held his palms out face up and it felt natural for me to place my hands in his. 

As we left the docks he pointed to himself and said Kenneth. The driver was Corin and the other alpha was Aldis. 

I pointed to myself and said Os Choi. He nodded and called me Oscar. Then he removed his beautiful grey tie and wrapped it around my neck, tenderly tucking in the ends to make a collar. He leaned closer and I closed my eyes. He kissed my eyelids, first the left and then the right. No-one had ever kissed me so gently. I bared my neck for him, but he tilted my chin and took possession of my lips.

He spoke words in English. He tried the old wolf tongue but our dialects were too diverse. I thought I recognised mate, alpha, home and mine, but was afraid to hope. 

I expected him to claim me then, but he just held my pale grimy hand and rubbed circles on the back of it with his thumb. We left Portland and drove into the mountains, through a small town and into an industrial compound. 

I sneaked glances at my rescuer, for I was sure now that he had saved me. He had melting brown eyes, cinnamon bark scruff and lines of life’s experience on his brow. There were random grey hairs in his few inches length of red-brown hair. I twirled a finger in my shoulder length straight black strands, embarrassed by the filth and grease clinging to my hair and my scrawny body.

We stopped outside a two storey office building and Kenneth guided me through a lavish reception to a large elegantly furnished office. He opened the door to a small adjoining shower room and turned on the water. He left me in private to wash away the container ship. I thought of home, home before, before I was ten, when the bathroom was open to me, and I had my own bed. I bit back a sob for my Um Ma, my mother.

I wondered about the other omegas on the ship, would they find a life here in America? Would I?

When I was clean I found a soft towel had been left for me. I dried myself and wrapped it around my waist. I was unsure about putting back on the tie, so I brought it out in my hand. Kenneth didn’t mind. He was on his computer and gestured for me to come to him. I prepared to kneel but he sat me on his lap and showed me the screen. There was a Korean lady on video conference.

“Hello” She said in Korean, “I am Professor Min Ju Kwon, I teach at the university in Seattle. Pack Alpha Kenneth has asked me to interpret for him. It is many moons since I set a paw in my homeland. How would you introduce yourself, young omega?”

I looked at Kenneth while she repeated this in English for him and he smiled at me to answer.

“I am Os Choi, a service omega, my alpha father Choi Cho sold me to the Seoul auction house as I was too old for family use now that I have 15 years.”

Min Ju looked saddened at my words and spoke for some minutes to Kenneth who squeezed his arm around my hip. 

She spoke in Korean again, “Os Choi, this is Kenneth Branagh, Pack Alpha of Three Mountains. He has waited many years for his true mate and is surprised to find him being delivered with his new paper pulping machine.”

I heard ‘true mate’ and it felt right. I was comfortable and safe in his arms. They spoke for another few minutes and Kenneth repeated some Korean words after the professor. She wished me well before the computer was turned off and Kenneth swung me around to face him.

“Oscar” he said, “Gajeong” 

I smiled. His pronunciation was terrible but I knew he meant home.

“Oscar” He repeated and shook his head and put a finger to my lips, “Iyagi. No Iyagi.”

He kissed my lips and I understood. Don’t talk. No speaking. I didn’t mind. I couldn’t make him understand me and if he wanted me to be quiet I would obey.

He tightened the towel around my waist when we stood up and I could sense both an apology, perhaps that he had nothing for me to wear, and his restraint at not mating immediately.

We walked back to the car. He opened the front passenger door for me. He drove to a small shop. The owners were coyotes, so strange to me then, so foreign in Korea. They nearly bowed to the ground when Kenneth came into their premises. They refused money when Kenneth took a plain, and as it turned out temporary, thin leather collar and blue and green tags. My heart skipped at the green tag. I tried not to be disappointed at how short lived my fantasy was that I could be belong to only one alpha.

I do not dwell on negative thoughts. My Um Ma told me every early morning before my brothers would wake and want me to take care of their needs, to think only of the happy jewel like memories of the previous day and pray to the ancestors for jewels to come in the new day.

There were so few jewels between my first heat and my claiming.

My pack is like a big family. But in this family my duties are no longer surrounded by humiliation, violence and insults. They come to me in their need with tenderness and loyalty.

They breathe into my ear that they cannot believe how lucky they are that Kenneth will share me.

They bring me gifts. 

Alpha-Luther is making a triple swing for my pups. 

Beta-Corin taught me to drive, which is useful when Kenneth gets too drunk at civil functions. 

Alpha-Eve gave me a set of beautiful diaries to give to Jensen, after I had sat in her nesting blankets one morning finishing a letter, saying that she was happy I had made an omega friend. 

Alpha-Aldis was arrested by the Portland PD for defending my honour against a group of teenagers who had mocked my tags on a shopping trip. His mate, Beth, held my hair back from my face when I couldn’t keep food in my belly. She gave me a book of popular wolf names for pups. She said that she and Aldis had picked their two pups’ names from it. She took me into the temple in Sisters to have my unborn children blessed by the shaman.

Alpha-Dirk, who has never even used my body, and was the last in the pack to have an omega mate, came yesterday with tiny blankets and Murray’s journal from his confinements. He explained none of his grown up beta children wanted them.

When JP bred me on my first heat at the pack, I thought Kenneth would kill him. He beat his face with clawed fists, tore at JP’s defensive arms with his teeth and spat hateful words at his second. JP lay bloody at his feet. His mousey beta-mate, Catherine, pleaded for their place in the pack. I had hidden behind a rock, but Kenneth found me and drew me out. He asked me if I wanted them exiled. I shook my head in the negative, not understanding then that having them remain gifted them the child they could not have together.

My alpha apologised to me in the privacy of his nest. He repeated that I was too young, too small for a litter, that he had wanted to wait until I was mature, and that he had presumed the pack would respect my heat. The following day, as the whispers of JP’s disgrace spread, Kenneth called the whole pack, including those who live on the far mountain, and those who live by the mills. He spelled out to all that I may have a green tag but I am his omega, his mate, his wolf to breed with. 

Handing Molly over to JP had to be the hardest thing I ever did. I was in the depths for after-pup depression when Kenneth took me to my first Wolf Alpha meeting at One Blood. I cried silently on Daniel’s shoulder unable to tell him what had happened. He was the King’s consort, my Queen, and I wordlessly offered him my fealty and drew strength from him down the wolf mind.

Hours later Daniel returned to the sumptuous One Blood omega den after assisting the King. He wrapped his arms around me and told me that Joseph had ordered Kenneth to respect me as she-wolf and mate and if he heard that Kenneth abjured or lessened Molly’s position in the pack, he would interfere. I was amazed at the knowledge Daniel had acquired. That night Kenneth told me that he would not have discriminated against Molly and that I was to stay in his den or the tree house when I was in heat. He wrapped himself around me and showed me how much I meant to him.

Kenneth gave me the sliver Tiffany box for my letters. He gave me a home and a pack.

When I met Jensen at the Pack Alpha meeting, I was under punishment. I had spoken to Molly. I had told her I was her omega mother. I don’t know why I did it but seeing my little pup calling Catherine her momma had made me see red. I was her um ma, her momma. Catherine should not have allowed it, she is her Mama or Mother not her momma. Kenneth was so disappointed that after three years I had broken his trust. He let JP punish me with his fists. At the meeting I had to wear a punishment leash and Silas led me around the hotel. I had to earn back my alpha’s trust. I was so miserable. For once the wolves who offered me comfort at my sadness did sense things correctly.

When I saw the fox omega come in with Daniel Wolf, with a red tag and a green collar and leash, I was perversely happy that I wasn’t the only one in disgrace. Then I found out he was the omega that the envoys had spoken of. The true mate of The David Wolf’s fox friend. He was fox so I couldn’t use the wolf mind to try and convey my emotions to him, but he was so perceptive, and so open to me, not judgemental. 

When Jensen’s letter arrived I was so excited. I didn’t understand a single word on the page but I handed it to Kenneth in our nest and he read it for me. He could see I was trembling with joy at having a friend to correspond to and gave me the command to speak. I whispered in his ear that I wanted to write back. Kenneth pushed a lock of my hair behind my ear and whispered back that he would write for me, but more than that he would teach me to read and write English. I wonder if Jensen could tell when the handwriting in my letters changed from Kenneth’s to my own. They are of a similar script, after all I learned by copying Kenneth’s words.

I must finish my letter to Jensen. It is funny to think that for all the reaction I get from other omegas, I don’t know how Jensen copes with the red tag. In my opinion touch is more important for us as omegas than speech or who you have sex with. I can make myself understood. Kenneth can voice any words I need to use. I wouldn’t like to have a scary possessive alpha like Jared, a violent one like Mitch from Nine Rocks, or a neglectful one like Christian Kane’s alpha. 

Soon these little wolf-babies will be with me. Three tiny pups to share with my mate, born of our bodies and mutual love.

Others may not understand my life but this is my pack and Kenneth is my forever Salang Neugdae, my eternal wolf love.


	3. November: Colin

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Colin was on a date with his alpha. 

It felt weird and flattering at the same time.

The Green Forest was hosting the Fox Council Annual meeting at their home in the Ochoco Forest in Oregon. The pack had insisted on their ability to host the event in the aftermath of the record-breaking storms that had blown in from the Pacific Northwest that fall. However their woodland den was still under re-construction. 

Seth had swallowed his pride and taken the two wolf packs, Eleven Cascades to the North and Three Mountains to the South up on their offers of help. The wolf packs were housing the delegates between them. Jim Beaver, Jasper Lincoln, Edward Collins and William Eccleston were at Eleven Cascades. Alexander and Colin were staying at Three Mountains as were Ian, Candice, Jonathon and Fabrice. Somehow Jacob Star had managed to finagle a cabin at The Green Forest.

The little town of Sisters lay between The Green Forest and the wolf pack on the slopes of The South Sister. The first morning that Beta Corin had driven them through the town Ian had spotted a restaurant called The Foxhole, and had jested that it was an auspicious sign from the Gods. Alpha-Eve revealed that the unassuming wood-cabin-like facade hid one of the best restaurants in Cascadia, and admitted both that she had woo-ed her beta mate there and that Kenneth had taken O there to celebrate their anniversary every year.

Alexander proved he could be just as sneaky as the best plotting omegas, when Alpha-Aldis stopped the car in Sisters on the way back from the fox pack on their second evening. Alexander pulled Colin out of the car by the hand and walked him to up the steps to the restaurant door.

A dark suited maitre d’ greeted them and confirmed their reservation.

Colin giggled as Alexander pulled out a heavy wooden chair for him to sit, kicking the kneeling cushion to the side.

“Is it that funny that I arranged some us time?” Alexander was trying to sound offended but grinning back.

“It is just that the restaurant is called Foxhole and Jensen’s father was a maitre d’ and this place is really swanky, and urban.” Colin chewed a fingernail.

“Colin-mate, we are in our formal clothes, I want it to be special, and so not about the pack vixen, and there are many courses to enjoy, none of which include omega-fingernail.” Alexander leaned across and gently lowered Colin’s hand.

“Sorry Alexander. It is kinda exciting and new.” Colin bent his head a little in apology.

“You, Colin do not know how cute you are when you look at me from lowered eyes; it makes my alpha-pheromones go into hyper drive.”

“It does?”

“Believe me it does. I would like to eat some of this amazing food before we move on to dessert.” Alexander raised his eyebrows at the word dessert and Colin felt the heat rise in his cheeks and his body.

An impeccably dressed dark haired beta approached their table and introduced himself as Colby, their server for the evening. He leaned forward and lit the round candle in the pretty frosted glass holder. He checked with Alexander before offering Colin his own leather bound menu.

Colin’s mind drifted dreamily, looking at the beautiful paintings of the mountains, and sneaking sideways glances at the other tables, where mostly alpha-beta couples were dining.

Alexander drew his attention back asking if he had decided. Colin’s cheeks coloured as he admitted he didn’t know what to choose. Alexander reached across and patted his hand. When Colby returned the alpha ordered the tasting menu for them both and took the sommelier’s recommendation for the wines.

Colby returned within moments with cubes of sundried tomato bread and a fennel seed olive oil dip. Colin waited to see if Alexander was going to dip the bread for him and feed them to him. Alexander mouth stuffed with three cubes, gestured for Colin to choose his own morsel. Colin picked a crusty cube and tipped it in the oil. He gingerly sucked the oil from the piece of bread. Discovering it was delicious he copied his alpha and hastily filled his mouth with three of them.

Alexander snorted in amusement and advised him to slow down that there were so many more courses to come.

Over the amuse-bouche of oysters and a long stemmed glass of bubbly, Alexander teased Colin about the reputation of oysters while Colin protested that foxes weren’t designed to eat slimy shellfish.

Colin licked his lips after the wild leaves dressed with pickled walnuts and organic Irish blue cheese and mused how Bradley would have loved the course. Alexander took his hand in his, and told him while he was not forbidding him from mentioning their morning sickness plagued and left at home mate, the evening was about them, and he wanted to hear if Colin liked the course.

By the time the smoked trout gnocchi was eaten Colin had learned that Alexander remembered scooping freshwater shrimp out of the stream at Star Valley as a young kit and bringing them back to his father, who was still only a shadowy figure in his mind. It was Colin’s turn to press his hand over his alpha’s offering support.

There was a frozen sorbet palate cleanser and made Colin’s taste buds sing with lime and blackcurrants. Alexander took the opportunity of the break between courses to come over to his omega’s side of the table and steal the final spoon of Colin’s sorbet, only to bend over and kiss his mate, passing the icy treat back to its rightful owner with his tongue. Colin pushed him back towards his own seat, sneaking a humble look around the swanky dining room, to check if his alpha’s open display of affection had offended anyone. The only person looking in their direction was the waitress standing by the kitchen door far behind Alexander. She caught Colin’s eye and pressed her hand over her heart adding a beaming smile. That simple gesture relaxed him, and he looked forward to the next course.

The wild caught salmon with lemon dill sauce and braised leaves was artistically arranged on large square plates. Colin tasted the dill in the sauce and remembered it was his alpha-father’s favorite addition when the lake-fish were cooked for the pack. Thinking of his family, he noticed Alexander looking at him, as if he knew Colin’s mind was drifting again. Placing his knife and fork together on the plate he heard Alexander ask him if the fish course had not been to his taste. Colin revealed that his thoughts had led him to reflect how his eight older sisters were the apples of his father’s eye and he felt his life only began when he was seven and Bradley came to live at Padalecki Lake. He shyly apologised for mentioning Bradley again, but Alexander didn’t mind and raised a toast to their mate.

Colin thought he might burst as he picked at the delicious venison wellington with red wine jus and horseradish potatoes. He passed his plate over for Alexander to finish. They said little but played footsie under the table.

Their waiter came to ask if they would like caramel cream or honeycomb ice-cream with their pistachio and almond macaroon tower. Alexander took one look at Colin leaning back in his chair to relieve his bloated stomach, and asked for the dessert to be boxed up for them.

Colin hung from his alpha’s arm feeling full and comfortable as they walked into the cool night air.

“How are we getting back to Three Mountains?” Colin asked dreamily, not really caring and trusting Alexander to have thought of something.

“How about we go for a walk and a nightcap?” Alexander led Colin down the residential street humming to himself.

Colin found that he was happy to be there under the star strewn sky, fingers linked, warmly aroused in the chill air, the scent of warm pistachio and Alexander’s ozone filling his senses. He was more comfortable and secure with his mates since they came back from Vincent Wolf’s memorial the previous June. That first night back at Padalecki Lake, Elise had been banished to sleepover with Olivia in Daisy’s basket, and the three mates had talked long into the night. Alexander and Bradley had praised him and promised him so much it had not seemed like reality, but over the coming months they had shown him how much he meant to them. Colin had felt his affection for Alexander grow into something more, something special and tender, different than the consuming need he had for his omega mate but no less profound for that. 

During their August heat, Alexander had done his best to breed them both, and Colin blushed at the memory of the three nights and days and mornings and evenings of heat fuelled passionate mating. Bradley had been blessed by the Gods and Colin was a little saddened that they wouldn’t ‘go together’ like Bradley had wanted but they would soon have another kit. Misha had caught him having a little cry in the omega den while Bradley and Alexander were gone to a council meeting. They had ended up indulging in a weepy session together about not bearing kits that season. Colin had realised that it was a reversal from the last time he had sobbed in an omega den at Star Valley when the idea of bearing Alexander’s kits had driven him to despair. Misha declared he was going online to research the best ways to prepare for conception and they would both ‘catch a sperm’ on their next heat. When Colin had confided in Jensen-fox during a fox run, the vixen had laughed his white socks off and sent images of Misha upside-down under Matt or Misha-fox hanging from a tree while Matt-fox tried to mate him. Colin squealed and protested the porno images promising to take Misha’s advice with a pinch of salt.

Colin realised that Alexander had stopped walking in front of a yellow guesthouse with wooden balconies and a wide stoop.

“I hope you were thinking of me in that overworked brain of yours?” Alexander prodded.

Colin smirked. He was not admitted he was thinking of Misha and Matt having sex. “I was thinking of mating.” He sort of truthfully said.

Alexander guided them through the wide doors into a tastefully decorated hall with a reception area. “Alexander Star. I have reserved the luxury room for the evening.”

Colin gasped and Alexander wrapped an arm around his waist while they were checked in and given directions to the top of the stairway.

The room was amazing. It faced the rear of the property and spanned the width of the building. Patio lights revealed the forest bordering the grounds, and the sound of the leaves in the breeze felt like home. There was a real log fire in the stone fireplace and a bottle of champagne resting in an ice bucket by the hot tub which was within range of the heat from the blaze. There was also a huge alpha sized bed capable of accommodating all 6 and a half feet of his mate.

Thinking the tub or the bed would be main locations of the evening, Colin was surprised when his mate came in to the bathroom once he had cleaned himself up. He passed over a glass of champagne.

“You know you are wearing too many clothes for this bathroom.” Alexander suggested as he bent down taking Colin’s lips in his own.

“I can’t hear you through all your clothes,” Colin ribbed back.

Then Alexander growled and the glass smashed on the floor. Colin’s body responded and he was pulling Alexander’s studded formal jacket from his arms. Alexander was ripping and tearing at Colin’s loose omega trousers and mouthing at his crotch. Then they were skin and heat and moving into the double sized shower. Colin found the ability to turn on the steaming jets of water and Alexander pinned him against the tiles licking the streams of liquid from his chest, down his stomach, taking him in his warm mouth and sucking his head like the oysters earlier. Alexander moved closer and took more of Colin’s rock hard cock in his mouth. The sensation of his alpha’s tongue palpating along his vein drove Colin’s need. He bucked and moaned, his mind filled with his alpha and this blissful night. Then he was too ready, wet, needing now, desire at a zenith, and he called for his mate, groaning Alexander’s name, pleading to be filled. 

Alexander lifted him off the ground and lined them up. Colin wrapped his legs around his mate’s waist and his arms around his neck and pushed down fucking himself on his alpha’s cock. He lifted and dropped using Alexander’s shoulders for leverage, moaning and letting his eyes close as the knot grew and burned against his rim. His own cock straining for release but anticipating the feeling of union and fullness. “Now, please, please Alex.”

Alexander pushed forward to ease his knot’s entry and Colin cried out “Alpha” as they knotted. Leaving one hand to support his back, Alexander fondled Colin’s balls, thumbed his vein and used his fingernail to draw across his head, all while the knot pulsed and thrusted filling Colin’s need and driving him to a blinding star burst of release. Alexander panted and forced out words “So good, milking my knot, so right, my black haired boy, my Colin.”

Spent and boneless Colin felt both of Alexander’s arms wrap around him and carry him to the bed. They lay knotted on the silky sheets while the fire died down and their post mating contentment lulled them into relaxation.

Time didn’t exist. It didn’t matter. The moment was eternal and special, Colin tucked it away in his memory and let his eyes close surrounded by his tall alpha’s body.

Alexander cradled Colin’s face in his hand, stroking his cheekbone with his thumb, “I’m going to pull out now.”

Colin nodded. The knot had gone down a little while ago, but they had lain spent and comfortable. Once Alexander had eased back, he repositioned them so that they were spooned together. Colin leaned back with his slender body, letting Alexander mould his much larger frame around him.

“Alex-mate?”

“Yes, Sweet One.” Alexander moved his hand up to languidly brush Colin’s temple and cheek.

“You’d never put a second tag on me would you?” Colin stilled his breath.

“It would never have crossed my mind. Darling, if Jared didn’t want the yellow second omega mate tag on your collar, we could take it off and you could give it to that rascal Trent.” Alexander joked.

“He isn’t a rascal, Alex. What Trent is doing is very important. He is challenging the omega stereotype and he is super intelligent.” Colin admonished.

“Hey Babe, calm down.” Alexander moved his hand back down to circle Colin’s waist and draw him closer. He felt a wave of sadness from his mate and concerned at any sign of the return of Colin’s melancholy he added, “Why are you upset? Have I done something?”

“No, Gods, no Alex, not you.” Colin made a gulping sound, “It is that pack. I am so happy to be here in this beautiful bed with you and not back there making smiling faces and polite conversation with all those abusive bastards.”

“I presume you mean Three Mountains and not The Green Forest.”

“Silas backslapping you and admitting you are taller than him. Aldis with his booming laugh and that Beth constantly checking if I need anything, as if I was the Wolf Queen himself, and all the time, I can only see them, in my mind’s eye, taking O and making him....” Colin gagged, red wine and venison tainted with acid. “It makes me sick. JP introducing his pretty daughter to you. I wanted to grind his smug face into the earth.”

“Shush, darling, I hear you. I feel the same. Putting on my game face when I see those wolves' leering glances at O. It is disturbing and they all think it is normal and acceptable.”

“Don’t shush me about this, Alex-mate, that child is Oscar’s daughter, do you know that? That pretty slip of a wolf pup doesn’t even get to talk with her own momma.”

“Colin, don’t slip up like that back at the wolves’ den. You know you are not meant to know O’s name.” Alexander balanced his reproach by nuzzling into the back of Colin’s neck, “Kenneth didn’t say anything about the whispering that O was doing over their newborns' basket.”

“Gods mate. Those babies are Kenneth’s and Oscar’s, an exception to the tags. You hardly think Jensen’s red tag would have excluded him from suckling his kits...”

Alexander interrupted, “Jared is no Kenneth. I wouldn’t be surprised by anything that wolf does.”

“I saw Kenneth holding O’s hand after evening meal, and how proud he looked when O lifted out one of the pups from their crib. Then I see the green and blue tags and I am stumped and plain confused. I always thought that O’s alpha simply didn’t care.”

“Colin? You know when you went up to join O in his treehouse with Fabrice?”

Colin nodded and his alpha moved in the bed so that his chin rested on top of Colin’s hair again. “Dirk pulled me aside. You know the older alpha?”

“The one who looked like he could still fell trees with his bare hands?”

Alexander chuckled at the image, “Yeah him. He told me Kenneth’s momma wore a green tag.”

Dragon flames threatened to come out Colin’s nose, “But that is all the more reason for Kenneth NOT to want the same for his mate. How can he? I don’t understand... Did Alpha-Dirk pull you aside to share that gem?”

“No,” Alexander sighed so heavily Colin could feel the escaping air, “He wanted to ask about Stellan.”

Colin lifted a hand off the silken sheets and caught his alpha’s one. He had to wait a few minutes for his mate to continue.

“Dirk’s mate, Murray, was a friend of Stellan. Dirk and my father Zander met on their mating quests. I never knew my Dad went on a mating quest. Or maybe I did and it is one of the memories I lost...”

Waiting patiently again, Colin’s chest burned tight for his mate.

“He said I’m like him... like Zander but he can see Stellan in my face. Murray and Stellan came from Canada. Can you believe that? Murray from North Rocks Pack. He was half Siberian Wolf. Stellan came from Skarsgård Holt.”

“You’re half Canadian?” Colin huffed. “Wait until we tell Bradley, he will be fascinated.”

“Swedish cheeky! I’m a big ole growly Viking alpha.”

“On your momma’s side, this makes you, a kind sweet handsome Nordic alpha.” Colin corrected playfully.

“Hey less of the sweet and kind. I have a reputation to uphold.”

“Heroic omega-defending Viking?”

“That’s better,” Alexander ran a finger around his omega’s nipples until they hardened into proud nubs. “So... Dirk... he said Murray went to Star Valley after we were taken... me and my brothers and sisters. He said that it broke Stellan. He was never the same fox. When my father died, Stellan was in hospital, having tried to drown himself. Ironically being in the hospital meant they were able to prevent him joining Zander. I feel so guilty Colin.”

Colin jerked up and twisted around to face his alpha, “What did you say?”

“I took everyone to the river. All of us. My string of ducklings, little sisters and brothers, Robert Star’s son, Fagan’s brothers, a couple of others. They followed me. No adults, just kits on one of Alex’s Adventures.” Alexander slammed a fist into the mattress.

“You were six years old.” Colin blinked in disbelief at the burden his alpha was placing on himself.

“They knew it. They knew the others had followed me. The cruel soldiers. They pinched me and held me back from the rest of us. They took them all away... In the hanger when the social workers and officials turned up, they distributed my packmates and little siblings to childless families across California. The boss army guy, he came over to me and said I was trouble and then I was on an airplane and sent to the other side of the country to the foster home for delinquent children.”

“You were six years old, darling-mate. Daisy and Valerie’s age. If Valerie walked out of the clinic and had an accident, do you think Misha or Matt would blame her? You can’t take any guilt for this.” Colin kissed his alpha’s collar bone.

“Dirk said I should do something for Stellan.”

“Like what?” Colin propped his body up on an elbow to look into his mate’s blue-green eyes.

“He thinks I should let him live with us. He said I am Stellan’s only blood alpha and Jacob couldn’t stop me.”

“Live with us? In our den? With Bradley, Elise and the new kit?” Colin wrinkled his nose.

Alexander huffed his amusement, “Too much? I think it is asking too much. He said nothing about consulting Stellan, as to if he would want to live at Padalecki Lake.”

“In whose den Alex? Would Jared allow it? Would Stellan want to leave Star Valley where he has lived most of his life?”

“We will think on it and talk to Bradley.”

“I didn’t mean to be unsympathetic about your mother.” Colin apologised. “We’ve found ourselves now, Alex-mate. You, Bradley and me. I don’t want another fox in our den. I am selfish.”

“No babe, you are not selfish. Stellan can be difficult to cope with. We know from our years at the Star home den. If we did decide to ask him to come then we’d need to work out the living arrangements. I wouldn’t want you or my pregnant Bradley to be forced to share our den with him, perhaps I am selfish too.”

“I hope Bradley is alright.” Colin said under his breath.

“What did Matt say before we left?”

“Next week on our return to bring Bradley in for a scan. We can see our new kit and he will do a full battery of tests like he would on a beta with complications, to check everything and assure us.”

“Bradley thinks there is a complication?” Alexander let his worry seep into his voice.

“He had been so sick. Some days I feared he would keep nothing down. He has lost weight, I know you have noticed. I hope he is just freaking out.”

“I know.” Alexander rubbed Colin’s arm.

“Why can’t Brad get to swan around the pack like Sebastian when he is pregnant, climbing trees and chasing kits?”

“He had to climb the tree because Basil was stuck up there.”

“I know that. I’m not really annoyed with Seb. He has his own problems. I am just worried about our mate.” Colin felt a kiss through his hair at the back of his head.

“The sickness will pass. He will bounce back.”

“I hope so.”

“And he has us. This is the final meeting until the year turns and the New Year alpha meeting is in neighboring Beaver Mountain. We will take care of him.”

“We will.” Colin agreed snuggling down under the comforter and retaking the role of little spoon. “I know you’ll take care of us, my growly Viking.”

“I promise, my sweet omega, always and forever, I promise that to you both.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note:
> 
> Fox verse has five parts. This was due to be a three chapter timestamp before the final long story.
> 
> I have been overwhelmed by the amazing reaction to the first two chapters here. I was a bag of nerves about posting O’s chapter... an original character in an RPF verse... I wasn’t sure there would be enough interest in his story... Boy, was I wrong *grins*
> 
> Bowing, gratefully like an emotional omega, to the requests to revisit Oscar’s POV I am adding January. My grand scheme for the verse remains the same. Originally the events of January would have appeared in the final tale, but as a side-line written amid Jensen reflecting on the events of previous months. Then later in the final story I returned in passing to the consequences of January. I have plucked these words from the final tale and am currently writing them from Oscar and Jensen’s POVs. 
> 
> I hope to have the chapter ready to post by the middle of next week when I will begin to post the final long story too.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has stayed with this story. I wasn’t teasing when I put the tag ‘long verse’ on Fox part one, LOL.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and comments, they inspire me to continue.


	4. Ice Storm

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
Three Mountains:

Oscar stood over his pups’ crib. He pulled his fur cloak tight around his slight frame, chilled from shifting forms and the tendrils of ice in the air that extended even this far back into the Pack Alpha’s den. It had been frigid during his morning venture to his mountain ledge. 

Kendra squirmed against her sister and brother. Oscar gently lifted her apart and cradled the little grey wolf in the crook of his elbow. He used his free hand to rub circles on her milk full belly until she burped sleepily. He could sense that she was comfortable and safe in her omega mother’s arms. He lifted her up so he could nuzzle into her soft baby fur.

“My good little girl, doing her windees for Momma, such a good little pet.”

Kendra opened her blue eyes and Oscar would swear that she smiled at him. He tickled her tummy and tenderly placed her back with Opal and Jet. The babies wriggled in their soft brushed cotton blankets until they were wrapped in a puppy pile. Their Momma gazed down on them in wonder at their beauty and perfection.

Oscar’s shoulders hitched and silent tears poured down his face. Strong muscled arms wrapped around his chest. The scent of his alpha filled his being.

“Oscar, why are you crying? Are the pups well?” Kenneth asked from behind.

“I just love them so very much. Sometimes it just bursts out of me. I never knew love like this existed. It burns me so bright. Do you feel it Kenneth-mate?”

“I can touch it through our bond. They are extremely lucky pups to have a Momma who loves them so fiercely.”

“And a Dada who does too,” Oscar added and leaned back letting Kenneth’s spicy burnt wood scent envelop him.

“They have cleared the roads and the mountain passes are open.”

A broad smile broke across Oscar’s face, “The King will make it after all.”

Oscar thrilled with excited nerves. That evening Three Mountains would receive their first official visit from the Royal Court since Oscar had come to the pack. The Joseph Wolf had been a handful of times over the years but with only a minimum entourage. This year Three Mountains had been selected for the New Year ceremony. The wolf packs paid their tributes, or taxes as Kenneth prefer to say in private, to One Blood twice yearly at the Winter and Summer Solstices. Every year a pack alpha was granted the honor of handing over their pack’s tribute in person during the New Year ceremony, which took place on 11th January, the birthday of some long forgotten king, but the date had remained tradition. 

Three Mountains was ready for the arrival. A huge feast was being prepared and as long as the ice storm remained at bay, a glorious bonfire would light the night sky. Oscar could almost see the flames reflecting on the banked snow. Two days ago the weather had almost forced a cancellation but the gales had abated and the calmer prevailing conditions had kicked all the preparations into high gear. Outside the den, the grounds were teaming with wolves, numbers swollen by those from the far dens on the Little Sister and the pack members who lived in the town surrounding the paper mills.

“Eve approached me.” Kenneth said drawing back from his omega.

Oscar’s heart dropped. He knew what that meant.

“She asked for you to spend a night with her and Corin after the Royal Visit.”

Gasping in surprise, Oscar swung around to face his mate, “The whole night? What about the pups?”

“What about them? Are you refusing?” Kenneth asked narrowing his eyes at supposed dissent.

“Do I bring them with me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous Oscar.” Kenneth sighed loudly, “You will not drag my children around with you while you pleasure other wolves. I might have mated a loose omega but no pup of mine will witness your slut nature.”

“Ken!” Oscar’s eyes filled with water, “Ken ‘m not loose,” a sob escaped his lips at the cruel words, “I do it for you, for our pack family.” His voice rose and he accused, “You want me to.” 

“I suppose after all these years you are going to tell me that you never enjoy it. You are practically glued to Aldis and Beth. Silas owns the record for how many times you came outside of when I’ve mated you on your heat.” Kenneth scoffed, “Dry your crocodile tears, Oscar.”

“It can be pleasurable. But I do it because it is my duty, my service.” Oscar tried to explain, tried to make his mate, his Kenneth understand something that he had always presumed that his alpha knew.

“It is your nature.”

Oscar shook his head violently. Kenneth grabbed his shoulders and spoke firmly, “Stop that. I understand. Don’t try and analyze it. It is an essential part of every omega. Some need to be knotted more than others. That you are one that needs it more is nothing to be ashamed of, pet.”

Oscar bowed his head low, stunned and hurt. He gathered his wits and clawed at Kenneth’s arms. “Jet.”

“What mate?” Kenneth’s eyebrows rose in query.

“If Jet is omega, will you?” Oscar couldn’t bring himself to say the words. He swallowed hard and gulped air. “When I was ten, my father took all my clothes away.”

Kenneth’s face dropped and all the blood drained out of it. He pulled Oscar towards him.

“... he made me sleep on the floor in his bedroom to relieve his need during the night...”

“I won’t.” Kenneth curled his arms around Oscar’s shoulders.

Oscar couldn’t hear the words. “... My brothers worked on me until I could take them both together...”

“Shush, Baby. Don’t talk about it.”

“... My Uncle Kim used my mouth as his urinal...”

“Oscar Stop.”

“... My aunt scratched me inside with her dirty fingernails and Father had to call a doctor for my blood poisoning fever...”

“Stop. Please.”

“...I hated every minute of it and every one of them.”

“Oscar listen to me.”

“Hated them, Kenneth. Hated hated hated them.” Oscar beat his fists against his alpha’s chest. “You can’t mate with Jet. It would end me.”

“Oscar stop. Please darling. Stop and listen.” Kenneth dragged his omega-mate over to the wide nursing chair and sat him down. He crouched in front of him and put his hands on Oscar’s arms. “You are hysterical. Calm down.”

Oscar tried to still his heaving chest.

“A little rational thought, my omega, OK?”

Oscar nodded and met Kenneth’s calm brown eyes.

“Do you think that I would abuse my own son?”

Oscar shook his head but there was a kernel of doubt in his mind.

“I would never. If Jet is omega, he will be a treasured member of this pack and he will be kept chaste for his mate. OK Oscar?”

“Thank you.” Oscar’s voice was tinny and small.

“No need to thank me. I am not a monster, Oscar.”

Kenneth stood and left the weight of his left hand rest on Oscar’s right shoulder until his mate’s anxiety lessened. He cupped the mating mark on the back of his neck and bent down to kiss Oscar’s forehead. When he stood upright again he asked, “What will I tell Eve?”

Oscar gulped and remembered his duty. “Tell them I will come to them, but I am not ready to leave the pups overnight. I will feed them before I go so that they will not disturb you.”

“Good boy,” Kenneth praised and gave a toothy smile that everything was back to normal. “Eve will be pleased, you know they love to have you in their nest. Now, would you like a drink of water or some of your special tea?”

“Yes please mate, the tea.”

Kenneth went out to find a pack member to bring in the tea. Oscar closed his eyes drained and faint from the strain of letting his long buried emotions surface. This morning was going into his to-be-scratched-from-memory column. He focused instead on Daniel’s arrival that evening and how wonderful it was going to be to present his pups to his omega friend.

Kenneth returned and pressed a cup of the herbal nursing tea that Misha and Jensen had sent him as a gift, into Oscar’s hand. Taking little sips of the fenugreek fennel and red raspberry leaf mix, Oscar calmed. He watched Kenneth put on his black dress pants and a silver blue-grey shirt.

“Have you seen the silk tie with the grey fleck?”

“It has gone to laundry. The grey with the black stripe is hanging at the back,” Oscar said tucking his legs onto the seat of the chair.

“Thanks pet. I am going down to the mill for a few hours.”

“Wait a few minutes and I’ll dress and get the pups ready.” Oscar made to stand up.

“No mate. I won’t be long. I’ll return soon after midday meal, the mill is on a half shift due to the visit.”

“I won’t delay you,” Oscar pleaded wanting to stay close to his alpha and draw strength from him to bolster his vulnerable core, “You could take us in wolf form. I’ll suckle them in the office basket and we can all stay quiet and let you work.”

“Stay here. You can stay in the den if you wish to be alone.”

Oscar nodded his acceptance, oddly saddened after their emotional conversation, that his company had been rejected.

“When I return we will meet all the pack at the entrance of the main cave and be ready for the Royal Party. I will ask Beth to come and cut your hair.” Kenneth said as he bent down and kissed Oscar’s temple. “You better now?”

“Yes, Alpha, I am fine.” Oscar took another sip of his tea and coiled his fingers around the warm mug.

“Lay out my formal pack alpha wear. I will change when I am home. Do you want anything from the town?”

Oscar couldn’t think of anything he wanted, except that he did not want his hair cut. He gave a watery smile and a slight shake of his head.

Kenneth paused over the crib and caressed the pups’ heads with the back of his fingers.

Then he was gone.

Oscar stayed a while in his chair listening to the sleepy noises coming from the crib. He forced himself to tidy around the den. He found his loose trousers and his own formal she-wolf embroidered top. Laying the formal shirt aside he donned a simple shift top for the day. He was folding the clean pup blankets and human form sleeper suits when Beth arrived to trim his hair. He smiled a good morning to her.

“I’m to cut your hair, She-wolf.” She said unwrapping her hairdressing kit.

Oscar sat in the chair and folded his hands in his lap. He gritted his teeth. Mentally shaking himself, he realized that Kenneth had not specified how short he wanted the hair cut to be. Beth’s attention was drawn by Oscar’s raised hand. Flicking her own long blonde locks over her shoulder, she smiled kindly, “Yes, O?”

Catching the ends of his hair between his pointer and second finger, Oscar demonstrated to his pack third-mate, that he only wanted her to remove the bottom quarter inch of his strands.

“A straighten up of your ends, yes?”

Oscar quirked a sideways smile in agreement. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see little parts of himself falling to the floor. Beth worked quickly leveling off his ends.

“Done.” She pronounced.

He kept his eyes closed until she had swept up all the leavings.

“Are you alright?” She touched his arm.

Oscar stood and pulled the beta in for a hug. She tentatively wrapped her arms around him. He rested his head on her shoulder, enjoying that she was one of the few wolves in the pack over whom he had a height advantage. She stroked his shoulder, “Come for midday meal.”

Pointing at the pups he bent his head.

“I’ll take Jet, you could carry Kendra and Opal. Come on, let’s get you into the biting fresh air.”

Oscar pulled on his fur cloak and his pup sling. In the end he took all three pups, pointing at the bunched up soiled blankets for Beth to carry out with her hairdressing kit. It took a little time on the icy ground to make their way over to the kitchen building. Their electricity had not been lost, even in the worst of the storm. They had an emergency generator, re-fuelled for the King’s visit. Beth grabbed bacon and cheese rye bread rolls and brought over two mugs of spiced bean soup. 

“Let me.” She gestured at his sling.

Straps unbuckled, Oscar let her take the pups. Opal woke up but remained content when old Dirk took her for a cuddle. Once his hunger was sated, Oscar collected a pup each from Dirk, Beth and Aldis. He returned to the pack alpha den, taking Kenneth at his word, that he would remain untroubled. The pups were awake but snuggled down in their blankets. He uncapped his pen and prepared to write his promised letter on the Ceremonial Visit.

_Dear Jensen_

He dropped the pen due to his lack of concentration. His equilibrium was still off kilter. Abandoning the letter, he laid out Kenneth’s formal clothes on their nesting blankets. He brushed a few stray wolf hairs from the jacket and put his hand over the place which would later cover his alpha’s heart. Opening his mind to the mating bond he sought Kenneth’s presence, seeking and needing reassurance to calm and center himself. He could sense that Kenneth was harried, rushing to deal with business and return to the pack. He pulled back not wanting to disturb his busy alpha.

The pups were restless. Oscar peeled off his clothes and brought them to the nursing chair. He shifted to his grey wolf form and curled around his babies. Two months old, they needed no guidance to latch onto a nipple each and begin to contentedly suckle. His wolf mind was swamped with their love as they pushed their proto-thoughts of safe-home-momma-loveyou into his consciousness. Hungry-good-momma joined. Oscar sent back his own wave of love for his dear son and daughters. His mind began to drift to a half-sleep state. The pups’ satisfaction mingled with his pleasant state and he sleepily licked Jet’s ears.  
.  
.  
.  
 _Everything went black. He lost his hold on the wheel. It spun uncontrollably out of his hands. The tires skidded on the ice and the mountain precipice rushed towards him. He grabbed at the steering wheel, feet desperately depressing the brake. There was a screech of metal ripping and his body jolted forward, chest smashed against the wheel, glass shattering into diamonds. He was airborne._

_Falling_

_Colliding_

_Flipped. Inverted._

ALPHA

_OSCAR_

_Hammering into the mountain._

_Metal,_

_Tree,_

_Pain_

_Blackness._

There was no air. Oscar’s lungs burned fire. His nostrils flared but no oxygen relieved him. 

Nothing. Void.

In a vacuum nothing exists.

Oscar felt his hold on life slipping through his claws like grains of dry rice.

_Momma_

The pull of tiny mouths on his teats in the darkness.

Distressed cries. _Momma._

The tug of new cut wolf teeth.

Purple spots behind his eyelids. Eyeballs strained from the lack of air.

Struggling for them. Swimming in black molasses to reach his pups.

A voice; “Is he dead?”

JP’s voice; “He should be, save us the decision of what to do with the little whore.”

Oscar gulped a great gasping breath. Vision blurred he could make out Luther and JP standing over him. He shifted to human form as fast as he could in his weakened state and grabbed his pups, stumbling off the chair and backing into the corner over the nesting blankets.

“Get your belongings out of my den, loose omega.” JP sneered.

Oscar turned his head away from the vile insults.

“What. Did. You. Call. Your. She-wolf?” Joseph intoned each word precisely from the entrance.

“My liege, I had not seen your arrival. My humble apologies that I did not greet you. There has been an accident…” JP stumbled to explain.

“I heard you precisely. Only the weak insult the vulnerable. Ancient law permits the removal of the tongue from a wolf who insults the Pack She-wolf.”

“My pack has suffered a great loss.” JP dropped to his knees in front of his king.

“Get out.”

“Your majesty, this is now my den as pack alpha…”

“You are not a designated successor. Has there been an election?” Joseph asked his voice heavy with danger, “I was not informed.”

“No, but I was pack second.” 

“Outside. Now.” Joseph ordered with full uber-alpha command. JP turned marionette-like and walked out with Luther following in his wake.

“She-wolf?”

Oscar looked up at the king and made a broken noise. Joseph moved slowly towards him with his palms facing out in a peaceful non-threatening pose. “I am sorry for your loss Oscar.” Joseph leaned over and rubbed Oscar’s throat. His hands found the back of the widowed omega’s neck and kneaded the muscle spasm. Oscar let the royal power ease his shock and pain. Then the king’s long fingers were running along the edge of his collar and unclipping the small tags. “I do not deem these necessary.”

“My King. Kenneth?” Oscar sobbed.

“My poor omega, we came upon the accident.” Joseph shook his head, confirming what Oscar already knew, then drew him up and threw an arm around him. “How about I get Daniel in here and we get you dressed for the election.”

“If I could stay here?”

“I am loathe to deny you any boon, but my thoughts are that you should come outside to your pack as they mourn their alpha.”

“For Kenneth?” Oscar whispered.

“Yes, for your alpha, if you wish.”

Daniel brushed passed his mate and let Oscar collapse into his arms. The touch of another omega, his friend, broke through the wall of numbness and Oscar wept.

He was eased into some clean clothes by Daniel, who kept up a constant low tone chatter of praise and encouragement, admiring his beautiful children and expressing his wonder at how they had saved their momma. Oscar blinked at the sight of King Joseph carrying his pups out of the den.

Outside Daniel sat against the cliff face with Oscar. The pack had gathered, coming originally for the Royal Visit, now in memory and consolation at the loss of their Pack Alpha.

Oscar lifted his hand to his collar. No tags met his fingers; no green tag, no blue tag. His king had removed them, decreed them over.

Beth came and took the pups from Joseph. She took the spot against the cliff on Oscar’s other side and sat in lotus position with the pups bundled between her open knees. She whispered to Oscar, “I am so happy you are still with us.”

Her mouth dropped in astonishment when he replied, “Thank you Beth, some others are not so pleased.”

She began to ask something but Joseph’s voice slammed into the pack, “Silence.”

Daniel’s hand found Oscar’s and their fingers intertwined.

Joseph’s voice seemed to fill the air and the wolf mind. “Alpha Adrian, The David Wolf and I will witness your election. Candidates?”

JP took a half-step forward. Joseph glared at him with such intensity that his pupils shifted to wolf. JP stepped back into line.

“Aldis?” Joseph queried.

The alpha stepped forward pulled by Joseph’s power. He rubbed at his goatee beard and cast a nervous glance at his mate Beth, “My liege?”

“Pack Alpha? Aldis, are you willing?”

“I will stand. If I am elected I will serve with all my heart.” Aldis said with force.

“Would any other alpha undertake the burden of Pack Alpha?” Joseph’s stance challenged any one brave enough to come forward. “No?... Good… I accept the fealty of Pack Alpha Aldis and his She-wolf Beth. We will do it formally after Kenneth’s burial.”

There was stunned silence at the rapidity of Joseph’s declaration.

The king continued, “This pack had been blessed. Do you hear my words, wolves? Blessed with the kindest, most loving and gentle she-wolf in my realm. If I ever hear that anyone of you has degraded or sullied him, you will know my wrath. Do I make myself understood?”

There was a chorus of muttered agreement.

Aldis cleared his throat. “If O wishes to remain in his alpha’s den, or if he would prefer to dwell at the treehouse, the pack will provide whatever he needs, whatever he wants.”

Joseph softened his posture, shaking out his shoulders. He turned to Oscar. “Would you like to stay here? Or will you come with Daniel and me to join One Blood Pack?”

Oscar was overwhelmed by the offer. He looked at Daniel who gave him a beaming smile and nodded mouthing ‘come with’.

Standing to face his pack, Oscar projected his voice, “My Packmates…”

There was an audible intake of breath as many of the wolves heard the omega speak for the first time.

“… I thought that I would live the rest of my days here amongst you, my wolf-family. I don’t know what place I would have at One Blood…”

“Excuse my interruption,” Joseph said, “but Daniel has a vacancy in his household for a… what was it Dan?”

“Ahem…” Daniel spoke from his hidden position, “A chamberlain, Alpha, and our children would adore having three new babies in the royal nursery. If Oscar will come?”

Oscar’s hands trembled in reaction to the royal couple’s consideration for his life and his pups, but also at the decision that was now his to make. His eyes searched for Molly. She had her head tucked under Catherine’s arm. He looked down at his babies in Beth’s lap. Jet was awake and trying to escape over the crest of Beth’s knee. He saw the shape of his tags in the material of Joseph’s chest pocket. He cleared his throat. “I do so accept the role of Queen’s Chamberlain and swear my fealty and service to Daniel Wolf.”

There was a disturbance in the crowd. Molly tore through the wolves and grasped him around his waist. “I’m so happy for you Momma that you will go to a new place. Will you write me some of your famous letters?”

“I will my firstborn. Will you return your own letters and not forget your birth momma?” He ran a hand down Molly’s long hair.

“Never Momma.” Molly squeezed his arm.

“I am certain that Aldis will guarantee that those letters are sent to One Blood,” Joseph pinned JP and Catherine with his eyes and added, “Daniel will you take your new Chamberlain and his pups for a reprieve from the reception. Aldis and I are going to have a discussion about pack structure and omega rights. Eve would you liaise with the emergency services for Kenneth’s body? Invoke Pack Law if you have trouble. David will sub for me in the handover of the tribute. Silas, Beth, Catherine, please can you get the rest of the events in order? Dismissed.”

Daniel helped Oscar bring the pups back to their crib. “Where are your personal items?” Daniel looked around the room filled with Kenneth’s clothes and baby supplies. There was one shelf of omega clothes and some stationery items.

“Up in my treehouse, the Omega den.” Oscar answered.

“Not here, in your nest?” 

“This is Kenneth’s…” Oscar’s voice quivered, “… was Kenneth’s nest. The treehouse is my space.”

Daniel nodded, but he kept gazing around the pack alpha bedroom in disbelief. “What would you like to bring with you tomorrow? We will arrange for your large items to be collected later.”

“I don’t know. My clothes, the pups’ things, my notebooks and boxes of letters. I’d like the coffee table and tapestries from the treehouse if Aldis will allow it.”

“Oh, he will allow it. Did you see Joseph?” Daniel said proudly, “I got all fluttery inside when his eyes went dire wolf. Now Oscar you must not worry about seeking permission about what to bring. You will have your own den, that is apartment, in the royal complex. There is an allowance to furnish it to your taste. My tailor will arrange your formal wear but you must bring your favorite clothing.”

“Daniel, what should I call you?”

“Officially, your majesty or sir but when you are off duty or we are with our children in the nursery, Dan is fine.”

Oscar swallowed and asked nervously, “I don’t know what I am to do. What does a chamberlain do?”

Daniel laughed, “Did you agree to a royal court position without knowing what we were asking of you?”

“No green tag.” Oscar said simply and bit his lip.

Daniel took the two steps to close the distance between them and slung an arm over the younger omega’s shoulder. “Never again. Oscar, never, and if one distant day you mate again… please do not think me unfeeling of your grief to mention this, but if you take a new alpha-mate, Joseph and I, or David or my boy Nathaniel, whoever is King, they will not allow it.”

“I won’t be mating again, Dan. No alpha would ever want me with my history.”

“Don’t be so sure, but that is not talk for today. You asked me a question. Queen’s chamberlain sounds much grander than it is. You will organize my diary, screen my visitors, household staff will go to you for approval of their decisions and once you are familiar in your role my household accounts will be your responsibility.”

Alpha Adrian dusted some fresh snow out of his dark hair as he entered the room. “Your Majesty. His Majesty suggested you might like to avail of my satellite phone.”

Daniel’s eyes widened, “I think Joseph might get a treat later for his perspicacity.”

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

LAKESIDE:

Jensen laid a freshly wringed cold flannel on Misha’s heat fevered brow. His friend twitched on the sweat dampened sheets, where he lay on his side facing Jensen. “I’m going to have to change the bed clothes again soon, Mish.”

“Wait.” Misha pleaded, “I can’t.”

“Shush babe,” Jensen soothed gently, “You are doing great. We will just swap out for a new towel.” He rolled a fresh cotton hand towel into a sausage shape, and then eased back the dark blue sheet that covered his friend. He lifted Misha’s upper leg slowly and pulled away the slick sodden cloth. There was a trace of blood. Jensen’s brow furrowed in concern. “I am going to have to clean you up and put on some more of the cream Matt gave us.”

Misha gave a broken sob, “I’ll never have more kits. I’m useless. I can’t even take my mate’s knot.”

“Hey, hey,” Jensen cooed, grabbing the tube of antiseptic with one hand and letting the other rest on Misha’s clammy skin. “You can do it without knotting.”

“Do you know the chances of conceiving without the knot? I looked it up online. It is like mating with a lone beta, almost zero.” Misha buried his face in his pillows while Jensen wiped away the oestrus and ran a cream covered finger around Misha’s torn rim and up inside him. 

Misha clenched down on the intrusion. “Sorry, sorry, Oh Gods, Oh Jensen, Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“Hey Mish” Jensen sighed and as his friend’s orgasmic wave eased back allowing him to pull out his finger, “It is natural. Our bodies are accustomed to us trying to relieve our heats with our fingers. It is OK. OK?”

Misha moaned his agreement. Jensen dried him off as well as he could, while ignoring politely the straining hard cock. He placed a new roll of towel between Misha’s legs and covered him back over with the sheet. Misha’s hand slipped down to grab his aching cock.  
Jensen had his back turned tidying the cream away and readying the next towel when he heard Misha finish his release. Looking back Misha’s eyelids fluttered and he met Jensen’s concerned gaze. “Will I tear open every time?”

“I don’t know. You should talk with Matt after. Maybe you didn’t wait long enough. Would you like to shift to fox? The heat should be less intense and perhaps shorter.”

Misha shook his head, drops of perspiration flicked off the ends of his hair. Jensen laid a hand on his friend’s fevered cheek.

There was a knock on the bedroom door and Matt came in. He looked wrecked, hair tossed, shoulders rounded and wearing odd shoes. He held a cordless phone out to Jensen. 

“Alpha, my Matt,” Misha pleaded holding his own hand out towards the doctor.

Jensen took the phone from the extended arm as Matt dropped to his knees by Misha’s side and took his hand into his own.

“We need more ice. Why have you given me your phone?” Jensen asked confused.

“Call for you.”

Jensen almost growled. “If this is Christian again, I swear, I’ll squeeze his coyote neck.” He raised the phone to his ear and said, “Hello?”

“Is this Omega Padalecki?”

“Ye-es” Jensen said slowly and cautiously.

“This is Alpha Brody. Please hold for His Majesty.” The line went silent.

Jensen put his hand over the lower part of the device. He screwed his face up and said to the Cohens, “I am on hold for Joseph.”

There was a sound from the other side of the call and Jensen said, “Good evening Alpha-Joseph.”

“Jen? It’s Dan.”

“Oh good,” Jensen sighed in relief as the tension in his shoulders eased, “Hey Daniel what’s up?”

“Kenneth is dead.”

“Gods. Oh Gods and Ancestors. Is O gone?” An animalistic noise of shock and sorrow broke out of Jensen’s throat. Misha startled in the bed and grabbed Matt’s arm with both hands

“No no Jen. Sorry. I am all over the place. I should have made myself clear. Oscar survives.”

“Thank the Powers. What happened? When did you find out Daniel?”

“We are at Three Mountains. Joseph and the new Pack Alpha are briefing a team of wolves to go out as envoys with the news.”

“Is JP pack alpha?” Jensen ground out from between closed teeth, “What about Oscar?”

“Aldis.” The wolf explained simply, “Hold on a moment.”

Matt noticed there had been a pause, “JP?”

“No, Aldis?”

Matt raised his eyebrows, “Didn’t Alexander say he was pack third or fourth?”

There was another noise on the line of the phone being passed on perhaps. Jensen turned his attention back to the call.

“Jensen? It is good to speak with you.” The words were softly spoken with a musical lilt and a hint of oriental rhythm, “It is Oscar, Jen.”

Jensen started to sob on the phone. He didn’t notice Misha and Matt shooting him urgent looks of worry, or Misha’s question of whether O had succumbed. On the other end of the line Oscar made cooing and soothing noises.

“I should be comforting you.” Jensen half-laughed half-cried. “You have a beautiful voice.”

“Behave Jen.” Oscar joked back.

“But are you OK? Is your neck OK? Are the pups good? I am so sorry about your mate.”

Matt and Misha’s eyes nearly fell out of their sockets as they realized who was speaking.

“I’m OK, Jen. I’m sad. I’ll miss Salang, but my feelings are fluctuating.” Oscar clicked his tongue against his hard palate.

“It’s OK to be an emotional mess, you would be expected to be. What happened?”

“He went off the road in the ice. It was quick. They are not just telling me that to spare me. I know it was sudden. His death slammed into me as I fed my babies in wolf form. Daniel agrees with me about thinking that they saved me. My connection to the pups, their continued suckling pulled me back. My dearest friend, it was frightening.”

“And are you good now? Well not good, but you know what I mean?”

“My neck aches and my heart is sore for my alpha. I didn’t get to say goodbye. I don’t know if he knew how much I loved him.” Sorrow filled the final words.

“He knew Oscar. If he didn’t know he was the dumbest wolf in all creation. A dog-dog could see your devotion to him.”

“You say all the right things. I will have to emulate you, especially now.”

“Huh?”

“I am leaving Three Mountains.”

“What?” Jensen exclaimed.

“Daniel has given me a place in his household. The pups and I will leave with the Royal Court.”

“You are not being forced to go are you? That pack hasn’t turned their back on you?”

“No!” Oscar interrupted urgently, “Aldis offered me my own den. I’ll be sorry to say goodbye to them. They have been my family for ten years and it will be difficult to leave Molly behind, but I am happy to go.”

“Best of luck to you. You are so brave. I admire you so much.” Jensen was getting weepy again.

“Me? You admire me?” Oscar gave a sweet short chuckle. “I admire you so much, my friend. Jensen?” Oscar’s voice turned serious, “You were my only friend for a long time and I will never forget it.”

This time Jensen could not find words.

“Daniel is gesturing at me… Oh yes… Can you message on Trent’s address? We are going to mail him my old tags.”

Jensen laughed through his tears. “You will absolutely make his day, not his day, his century. He will probably frame them and hang them in Omega Equality Now’s HQ.”

“Any chance of you coming to One Blood?”

Jensen heard the hope in his friend’s words. “I don’t think so Oscar. I’m sorry but Jared doesn’t want to leave Padalecki Lake since his injuries. I don’t think he…”

“I understand Jen. I know.”

“Maybe I can talk to him. He might go to a pack alpha meeting instead of Alexander. Alex wants to stay close to Bradley and then we could meet up.”

“It is fine, Jen. The court will visit your neighboring wolf packs Two Moons and Five Rivers at some time and we can arrange something.”

“I’ll write.” Jensen promised.

“I’ll write back.” Oscar promised in return. “You take care now Jensen. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Stay strong and always have hope. Jewels come in the most surprising ways.”

“Goodbye Oscar. You know I am here for you. I look forward to your letters about royal life.”

“Goodbye Jensen, my friend, we will talk again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final part of the verse to come. 
> 
> Comments and kudos welcome as always.
> 
> Thank you again for all your encouragement.


End file.
